Various types of batteries are widely used in daily life and it is present in all over the world, and a large number of waste batteries will eventually be produced for our future needs. Waste batteries will cause serious environmental pollution and human health. At present, the main treatment methods of waste batteries are incineration and landfill, solidification treatment, manual sorting, wet recovery technology, dry recovery technology and bio-metallurgical technology. Batteries are toxic substances such as mercury, lead that are root cause of various hazards. In this paper, several disposal methods of waste batteries in recent years are illustrated. Thus for proper battery waste management we need EPR Authorization for Battery Waste Management.

India lacks a formal planned recycling industry. The industry is not respected, and lacks designated zones for recycling. However, in a nation with a vast population of people still in poverty, most lead-acid battery recycling is by individuals and small informal enterprises, often taking no safety or environmental precautions.

On August 22, 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Changes introduced the battery waste management rules, 2022, thereby suppressed the Battery (Management & Handling) Rules, 2001.

According to Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 Waste Battery’ includes:

• Any kind of Battery Used or End of Life Battery even its components, spares, parts or consumables whether or not hazardous in nature;
• Pre-consumer Off-Spec Battery and its components or spares or parts or consumables;
• Battery whose use before date has expired;
• Battery which have been abandon by the user.

Benefits of EPR Authorization for Battery Waste Management:

• Environmental Protection: EPR authorization promotes environmentally responsible practices by planning minimum harm policies which will result best for reduction of environment hazards.
• Resource Recovery: Batteries contain valuable materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which might be reused and it may result in cost saving.
• Hazardous Waste Reduction: Improper disposal of batteries in landfills or incinerators can lead to the leaching of toxic chemicals into soil, water, and air. EPR authorization ensures that proper migration of hazardous substances from human society.
• Market Incentives for Innovation: EPR programs suggest development of technology and innovations which may bring long life batteries which disposes or recycled easily so ultimately we require less expenditure.
• Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement: EPR authorization provides a regulatory framework for establishing clear guidelines and standards for battery waste management. Producers are required to comply with these regulations and face penalties for non-compliance, ensuring accountability and enforcement of environmental laws.

Challenges and Considerations: Despite the benefits of EPR authorization for battery waste management, several challenges need to be addressed for effective implementation:

• Collection Infrastructure: There should be proper disposal at the end of life proper link between producers and recyclers are essential and side by side people should be made aware.
• Recycling Technologies: Now as development of new techniques our recycling or disposal techniques should be innovative which may bring better environment standards.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Proper linking between Government and producers/recyclers is important in order to make them mandate about their duties and responsibility.

To whom this rules battery waste management rules, 2022 Applies?

• These rules shall apply to, –(i) Producer kind of entities who engages in manufacturing and sale of Battery including refurished battery or involved in segregation, transportation, refurbishment and recycling of Waste Battery; (ii) all types of batteries of any kind or composition whether any type of chemistry, shape, volume, weight, material used.
• These rules do not apply to Battery used in, – (i) equipment relevant to protection of the essential security interests such as arms, ammunitions, war material and which are intended to use specifically for military purposes; (ii) equipment designed for space purpose.

Battery waste management rules, 2022 defines functions of various entities such as-

Functions of Producer

• Producer shall have the obligation of Extended Producer Responsibility to ensure the attainment of the recycling or refurbishing obligations.
• Producer shall meet all guidelines such as collection and recycling or refurbishment targets as defined in Schedule II of the Battery waste management rules.
• Waste Battery collected by the Producer shall be sent for recycling or refurbishing and shall not be sent for landfilling or incineration.
• The person or an entity involved in manufacturing of Battery shall have to register through the online centralised portal as Producer in accordance with Form 1(A) and then certificate of registration shall be issued in Form 1(B).
• Producer shall file for renewal of registration of same before sixty days of its expiry.
• Producer’s duty to inform Central Pollution Control Board of any changes contained in the Extended Producer Responsibility Registration and of any permanent cessation.
• Producer shall give EPR plan mentioned in the Form 1(C) to CPCB by 30th June of every year for the Battery manufactured in the preceding financial year and must contained information on quality, weight along with dry weight of battery.
• Producer shall also submit an EPR Plan mentioned in Form 1(C) to CPCB for the Battery manufactured in FY 2022-23 within three months of the publication of these rules.
• In order to prepare a separate waste stream for collection of Waste Battery for fulfilling EPR obligations, the Producer, may operate such schemes as deposit refund system or buy back or any other scheme.
• The Producer may engage itself or authorise any other entity for collection, recycling or refurbishment of Waste Battery.
• Producer shall also file annual returns in Form 3 regarding the Waste Battery collected and recycled or refurbished towards fulfilling obligations under EPR with the CPCB and concerned SPCP in Form 3 by 30th June of the next financial year.
• Stick to prohibitions and labelling requirements as prescribed in Schedule I;

And to ensure proper handling of Battery or Waste Battery so no damage should be caused to human health and environment occurs.

Functions of Consumer

• To discard Waste Battery separately from other waste streams such as from mixed waste, domestic waste streams;
• To ensure that Waste Battery are disposed off in an eco-friendly manner by giving it to an entity whose duty is in collection or refurbishment or recycling;

Functions of Public Waste Management Authorities

Public Waste Management Authorities will hand over collected Waste Battery to the producers or agencies acting on their behalf or agencies engaged in refurbishment or recycling for refurbishment or recycling of those Waste Battery or carry out their recycling or refurbishment themselves.

Functions of Entity involved in collection, segregation and treatment

It shall be the responsibility of entities involved in collection, segregation and treatment to hand over Waste Battery to registered refurbisher or recyclers, to ensure that it is in accordance with the standards or guidelines prescribed by the CPCB & to carry out any activity in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by CPCB.

Functions of Refurbisher

• Ensure that other waste generated such activities be managed as per the extant regulations such as Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Ensure that hazardous waste generated from any activity of the entity is managed in accordance to the provisions under Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016;
• Make an application in Form 2(A) to the SPCB for grant of one-time registration;
• It shall be the responsibility of the Refurbisher to,
• All refurbishers shall register with SPCB on the centralised portal. The certificate of registration shall be issued using the portal in Form 2(B).
• Refurbishers shall furnish quarterly returns in Form 4
• The total quantity of Waste Battery processed by entities on quarterly basis, will be made available on the centralised portal developed by Central Pollution Control Board and on the websites of the entities.
• Refurbisher shall not deal with any other entity which is not registered as mandated under these rules.

Functions of Recyclers

• All recyclers shall register with the SPCB through the online portal. The certificate of registration shall be issued in Form 2(B).
• It shall be the responsibility of the recycler to, – (i) make an application in Form 2(A) to the SPCB for grant of one-time registration;

To make sure that the Waste Battery is dissembled from appliance so collected if Battery is incorporated in the equipment and other compliance similar for refurbisher.

• Recyclers shall furnish the quarterly returns relevant the details such as quantity of Waste Battery collected or received from several producers or entity, recycled quantities, compliance of material-wise recovery percentage as per recovery targets provided under in Form 4.
• The all-over quantity of Waste Battery processed by entity involved in recycling of Waste Battery, on quarterly basis, will be made available on their websites and also in the portal developed by CPCB.
• Refurbisher shall not deal with any other entity which is not registered as mandated under these rules.

Actions on violations and imposition of Environmental Compensation

• Environmental Compensation shall also be levied for the following activities based on polluter pays principle, –
• entities working without registration as mandated under these rules;
• providing false/misleading or willful concealment of material facts by the entities registered under these rules;

Submission of forged/fake documents by the entities for the purpose registration under these rules;

• Entities engaged in relevant activities, in that respect to not following sound handling of Waste Battery.
• These activities, may also be dealt with under the provisions of section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in case of evasion or violation either by entity itself or help abet any obligated entity evade or violate obligations, after giving an opportunity of being heard.

Introduction of Centralised Online Portal

• CPCB shall create an online system for the registration and filing returns by producers, recyclers, and refurbishers of Waste Battery within six months of commencement of these rules.
• The system shall ensure a process wherein the balance of Waste Battery’s material as per EPR obligations of Producers is reflected and it shall also reflect the information regarding the audit of the Producers and entities refurbishing and recycling of Waste Battery.
• The SPCB shall also use the web portal of CPCB used for registration of Producers, for registering entities refurbishing and recycling of Waste Battery.
• The web portal would act as the single point data repository with respect to orders and guidelines related to implementation of these rules.
• Producer may corporate in the development of online portal.

Documents Required for Battery Waste EPR Registration

Apart from Specific Documents for separate individual entities (Different Forms mentioned in the rules for producers, recyclers, refurbishers etc., following are commonly required documents-

• Name, Address, Contact No., Email of Applicant
• Company incorporation details.
• PAN Card of Company
• Corporate Identification Number (CIN)
• GST Cetificate
• Consent certificate from Water and Air Boards and such other Authorities.

EPR Registration process for battery waste management:

• Identification of Producers:

Entities engaged in the manufacturing, sale, or import of batteries fall under the purview of EPR for battery waste management.

• Preparation of Documents:

Producers need to prepare necessary documents, including an EPR Authorization form and a comprehensive plan outlining strategies for battery collection, recycling, and disposal.

• Submission of Documents:

The applicant must submit the EPR Authorization form and accompanying documents to the designated regulatory body.

• Scrutiny by Regulatory Body:

The regulatory body, (CPCB) or (SPCB) may scrutinize the submitted documents to ensure compliance with EPR guidelines.

• Approval or Rejection:

Based on the scrutiny, the regulatory body either approves or rejects the EPR application. In the case of any deficiencies, the applicant is usually given a specific timeframe to rectify them.

• Grant of EPR Authorization:

Upon approval, the regulatory body issues EPR authorization, allowing the producer to engage in battery waste management activities.

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